Not Just A House
by Brook18
Summary: When Owen Hunt comes back from his tour he tries to find Amelia, and he finds her in the last place he expected her to be.


Amelia Shepherd crosses the threshold and steps into the house her brother built years ago. It's been a week since she's been here. She only rarely comes back to get some clean clothes and sleep in her own bed.

The only times she's come back to the house were when she couldn't avoid it any longer. When she'd spend so many nights at the hospital that people were starting to notice that she hardly ever left, and when she ran out of clean clothes. Only then did she come back, and she hated every second of it.

The house that once held so much joy now feels like a tomb without the people that lived there. Her brother, who'd put so much effort into building his family a home, was dead, and his family had left. No longer did it feel like a home, it was just an object now. One that reminded Amelia of everyone she had loved and lost.

Something tugged at the inside of her chest but Amelia ignores it and stuffs it down like she's been doing constantly these past months. She just heads straight to her bedroom, the only place she can stand to be in anymore.

It doesn't matter that she hasn't had anything to eat yet. She can't go into the kitchen without thinking of all the times she'd come in to find her brother there waiting for her, or of all the times he'd come home to find her making dinner. If she goes there she will start crying and if she starts crying she won't be able to stop. And that isn't an option. She has to stay strong, prove everyone who's been looking at her as if she's a ticking time bomb wrong. She'll just eat at the hospital later. She isn't hungry anyway.

Once she's closed the door to her room behind her she makes sure to lock it. Not that there is any use in doing so, but i feels more safe this way. The curtains are drawn too, they have been since Derek has died.

With a lump in her throat Amelia sets about getting ready for bed. She takes a shower and lets the water wash away some of the stiffness that has settled in her muscles. Living at the hospital is great when it comes to avoiding feelings by drowning herself in work, but it is physically exhausting.

The beds in the on-call rooms aren't bad but they aren't exactly top notch and they fade in comparison to her own boxspring. So when Amelia slips under the covers and her head hits the pillow, her body relaxes slightly. Her bed is the only thing she misses when she is constantly at the hospital.

Fortunately all the extra shifts she's been pulling have worn her out completely. After a last incoherent thought about how she could maybe move her bed to her office, she falls into a deep sleep.

As Owen Hunt drives down the gravel road that leads to his trailer in the woods, he lets out a sigh. He is finally home again, after months of being on tour.

He has been back in Seattle for a couple of hours now, but he hasn't gone home yet. Home is a relative term anyway. He'd gone to the hospital first, right after they'd landed, not even bothering to change out of his uniform. The chief had wanted to check in on how things were running at the hospital first, but most of all he'd wanted to see Amelia.

Owen had found her almost immediately, and the sight of her had broken his heart.

He'd expected her to be sad and broken, but he hadn't anticipated just what that would mean. She'd been screaming at Richard Webber in the middle of the hallway. Going on about how people always left. And he knew instinctively that she'd been talking about him.

In that moment he regretted going away more than ever before. He'd abandoned her at a time when she had needed him most, and by the looks of it she was falling apart at the seems right now.

After Amelia had made a quick get away he'd tried to find her again. But he'd had no luck. He'd thoroughly combed through the entire hospital but was forced to conclude that was no longer on the premises.

Guilt was overwhelming him but he knew that there was no way he'd find her tonight. He had no idea where she was even staying and it would be better to just go home, sleep on it and come back to the hospital tomorrow.

Owen nears the driveway and is about to take the right turn that would lead him to his trailer, when he spots her car.

His eyes grow wide at the sight of it.

He hasn't even considered the possibility that she might still be staying here. With Derek's death and Meredith's departure the house was a shrine, filled with reminders of a happier life. The idea of being in there alone makes his heart ache and if it's painful for him, how bad is it for her?

A second later his foot is on the breaks. He can't just let her sit in that house by herself, alone with all those memories. He has to check on her, make sure she's alright. Even if she hadn't been a recovering addict, he still has to see her.

The spare key is still in it's original hiding place and he quickly enters the house. A tidal wave of feelings threatens to overwhelm him but he forces everything back down. This isn't about him, he is there for her and he needs to see if she is okay before he can start dealing with his own emotions.

All the light downstairs are off but he checks all the rooms nonetheless to make sure. He already knows where he'll find her though, the only place that is really her own: Her bedroom.

The trauma surgeon has been quick to act so far, dealing with the stress as well as any trained soldier, but now that it's time to actually face her he starts to feel anxious. He hurt her terribly, he knows that much, and he also knows that chances are she doesn't want to see him.

Right now though his own concern for her overrides any of her possible objections. He'll deal with the fall out and her rejection when he has ensured himself that she is safe.

His legs carry him upstairs on autopilot. He has never been in her room before because they'd never reached far enough into the relationship for that, but he has a general idea where it is.

The door to her bedroom is closed and Owen hesitates for a moment. Should he knock first or just barge in on her? Even though he'd be violating her privacy the alternative would give her a chance to lock herself in the bathroom, and he can't take that risk.

When he tries the door however it doesn't open. So he knocks. "Amelia, are you in there?". But there is no response. He knocks again. "Amelia, could you please open the door?". Silence again.

He tries knocking a third time, more forcefully, and his voice rises in volume as the panic gets to him. "Amelia? Amelia?".

When she still doesn't reply his mind goes into overdrive. What if she took something? What if the reason she isn't responding is because she can't?

All rational thought goes out the window as he pictures her lying cold and dead on the floor, with an empty pill bottle by her side. Screw this, he thinks, and he kicks open the door.

Amelia is lying in bed, seemingly asleep, but he won't trust that it isn't something narcotically induced until she's awake and responsive. So he strides to her bed and is by her side on his knees in an instant.

"Amelia" He says and he shakes her shoulder. "Amelia can you hear me?". In all his worrying he's forgotten how much of a heavy sleeper she is.

Her eyes open groggily and she looks up at him in obvious confusion. "Owen? What are you doing here?" She remarks as she sits up slightly. She is slowly waking up and his presence at her bedside is still making little to no sense. "What happened? Is something wrong?".

He breaths a sigh of relief. "Hey. No, nothing's wrong. I'm just.." he hesitates, unsure if he should be straightforward with her, but given that he is already sitting in her bedroom uninvited, he tells her the truth, "... I was worried about you. I wanted to make sure that you were okay".

The confusion she felt before now quickly morphs into anger. Who does he thinks he is? Breaking into her house, checking up on her. He has no right. He lost that right when he'd left her alone to deal with this mess.

"You can quit the knight in shining armour routine" She chides, "I'm fine" and she sits up straight, making him move away from her instinctively.

A hurt look crosses his feature and she almost regrets her snide comment. Almost. But her anger is still too fresh, and the hurt he caused her too close to the surface. It's clouding her judgement.

Even though the venom in her words causes more pain than he'd ever care to admit, he has to try and reason with her. "I'm sorry, Amelia, I'm so sorry". He's not even sure exactly what it is he's apologising for but he knows he has to try, has to try to make her see that he cares for her deeply.

His words have the opposite effect and she looks at him viciously while she gets out of bed. He's sorry? She's heard the word so many times it's lost all it's meaning. People say they're sorry way too often and they hardly ever mean it. It's no use. Especially not in this situation.

"You're sorry?" She barks a laugh at him with all the cruelty she can muster. "For what?! For my brother dying?! For leaving?! For coming back?! What exactly is it that you're apologising for Owen?!". Her eyes start to water without her permission and she has to brace herself to keep the tears from falling.

He's never regretted leaving more than in that moment. "Yes. For all of it, for everything. For leaving when you needed me, for not noticing your pain, and for calling us a plane crash".

Amelia hasn't thought about that conversation in months now as a form of self preservation. Leave it to Owen to bring that up at a time like this. "Fine" She says, because she's tired and she doesn't have the strength to fight him on this right now, "apology accepted. That still doesn't change that fact that we're a plane crash waiting to happen. You don't have to feel obligated to help me".

He shakes his head and takes a step closer. She's missing the point. "I never should have said that, because it isn't true. Yes we're a risk, but everything's a risk and that doesn't mean we should give up trying".

"I was scared, terrified that you didn't feel the same way about me and so I ran. But Amelia, I should've fought harder for you, and I should've been there for you. If you're right, if the plane does end up crashing, I'd still rather go down with you than be safe alone".

Tears are rolling freely down her cheeks now, even though she hasn't given them permission to fall. She's still afraid that it's going to destroy her, but she can't help but believe everything Owen is telling her and she trusts him like she's never trusted anyone ever before.

As if on cue both of them step forward and their lips crash together in perfect harmony. They haven't kissed in about ten months but it feels right, familiar even. Like coming home, it feels comforting and safe and perfect.

When Owen finally pulls away he smiles at her, not completely breaking contact. "Let's get out of here".

She looks at him confused. "Why? It's not like anyone is going to disturb us here". Now it's his turn to be baffled. "I just thought… I mean, this isn't exactly an easy place to be. I figured it'd be easier to leave, just sleep in the trailer tonight".

Amelia pulls away as the words leave his mouth and she glares at him. "You want me to leave? After months of me pushing through and managing to stay here while you were of god knows where playing soldier, and now you just want me to run as well?!". She knows it isn't fair, he doesn't understand and she should explain it to him, but all her emotions are making it impossible to think rationally.

His eyes widen like they always do when he's confused. "That's not what I meant" He says, and he means it, "It's hard for me to be here and I can imagine it's that much more difficult for you. I'm not saying abandon the place completely, I just thought we could..".

Before he can say more she interrupts him. "Leave?!" She all but shouts it. "Don't you think I would if I could? It would be so much easier to leave but I can't leave! I can't!".

She starts pacing and her hands find their way to her hair.

"He built this house", her voice is barely a whisper now, yet he can clearly hear the quiver, "He built it, so that his family could have a home, and so that his kids could grow up there. He put so much effort into it, and now they're all gone. I am the only one of his family that still gives a crap about what happens to this house, that still inhabits it. And so I can't leave".

Amelia stops pacing as tears start streaming down her face. Owen walks up to her and even though she fights him he holds on to her for dear life. "Shh, it's okay, it's going to be okay".

He feels thoroughly unequipped in dealing with her sadness, but he knows he has to try. "Did you know I helped him build it?". She shakes her head. "I did. I was in a bad place at the time and working with my helped. So I get how you feel, it's more than just a house".

She looks up at him. "This was my first home in Seattle. They took me in. I can't stand the idea of leaving, let alone selling the house. I just can't".

Owen nods. He's so happy that she's finally letting him in, even though it's in a shouting kind of way, that he'll gladly spend the night here if that means it'll make things easier for her. "Okay. We'll stay here. At least for tonight. And then we'll figure out the next step tomorrow, okay? Right now you need to sleep".

They move to the bed and he lingers so he can takes off his shoes and his uniform. But before he has a chance to do so Amelia kisses him.

It's a kiss filled with desperation and passion.

As she pulls away again she looks up at him through her eyelashes. "Can you stay?" She asks, unsure if it's a request she is allowed to make, but she makes it anyway cause she desperately wants him there.

"Absolutely" he says and he brings his hand up to her face, "I wasn't planning on going anywhere. I'm not leaving, never again".

Suddenly both their minds filled with endless possibilities. Them, together, living in this house, using it as it was intended, making new memories, the rooms filled with the laughter of children and the smell of a home cooked meal.

"Two boys, two girls" Amelia whispers, "That way no one gets lonely".

"Huh?". She smiles at him. "It's nothing, I'll tell you some other time. Let's just go to bed".

After Owen discards his shoes and his uniform he climbs into bed next to Amelia, pulling her into his chest as he lies down. There's so much more they need to work through, and so much more they need to discuss, but right now they're content just being here, together.

"I love you, Amelia Shepherd".

"I love you too, Owen Hunt".

 **AN: So I've been OBSESSED with omelia these last few weeks. And as a result my brain develop multiple plotideas for fanfic. This is one of them, cause I couldn't grasp how they just ignored this in the show. Anyway, keep an eye out for anymore fics, and let me know what you think! Xx**


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